Conventional greenhouses suffer from numerous problems of which so far no tangible solutions exist and as such cost effective food production cannot be achieved using conventional greenhouses.
In conventional greenhouses, it is difficult to maintain in the greenhouse the air relative humidity at a defined relative humidity point independent of the greenhouse air temperature defined temperature point. In this regard, water molecules evaporate into the greenhouse air until equilibrium is reached. If the greenhouse air temperature increases, then the greenhouse air expands and can hold more water and thus the greenhouse air relative humidity reduces. Conversely, if the greenhouse air temperature decreases, the greenhouse air contracts and can hold less water. As long as water does not condense out of the greenhouse air, the greenhouse air relative humidity increases. With any further temperature decrease, the concentration of water in the greenhouse air rises above the saturation point and condenses, dew point forming large drops of water on the interior surfaces of the greenhouse cover film and on the interior surfaces of the gutters which drip on to plants and may cause injury. Condensation also reduces light transmission into the greenhouse.
Several foliar diseases are directly related to the greenhouse air high relative humidity, especially Botrytis and Powdery mildew. Powdery mildew spores germinate best at 95% or higher greenhouse air relative humidity.
Another problem in conventional greenhouses is mist. A very fine continuous layer of moisture, which can form on the interior surfaces of the greenhouse cover film during cold early mornings, when the greenhouse air temperature decreases and the greenhouse air relative humidity reaches saturation point. A dense fog can form in the greenhouse which also reduces sunlight transmission into the greenhouse.
It is difficult to maintain the greenhouse at a defined temperature point, particularly in hot locations wherein so far there is no option to use a fan/pad or a fogger evaporative cooling system which increases the greenhouse air relative humidity. The defined temperature point cannot be controlled and maintained because the higher the greenhouse air relative humidity the less effective is evaporative cooling. Furthermore, supplementary cooling cost in hot locations is very high.
Also, in cold locations, there is a high cost associated with greenhouse supplementary heating, induced mostly by burning fossil fuel, which emits substantial air pollutants, which contribute to global warming.
Due to the fact that during dark hours, plants release carbon dioxide and are in need of an oxygen rich environment to rejuvenate the health of the plants, and to maximize tolerance of the plants to disease and the like.
Due to carbon dioxide released by the plants during dark hours, or due to residual carbon dioxide available after the carbon dioxide enrichment, events of the sunlight hours the carbon dioxide content in the greenhouse are much higher than desired (compared to a defined carbon dioxide content point). Traditionally, greenhouse excess carbon dioxide content is released into the atmosphere, which contributes to global warming and also incurs a cost in relation to carbon credits.
Another problem with conventional greenhouses is that the air relative humidity, the air temperature and carbon dioxide content in the greenhouse vary due to horizontal and vertical gradients and hot or cold pockets are formed therein. This is further augmented by moisture production of the plants which is driven by leaf temperature of the plants and the greenhouse air vapor pressure deficit.
In conventional greenhouses, during winter, horizontal air fans are run continuously to improve the greenhouse air relative humidity and the greenhouse air temperature uniformity, and to prevent hot or cold pockets from being formed. However, the cost benefit is minimal.
The intensity of solar radiation all over the world, at ground level, is unevenly distributed. This is due to variables such as solar altitude, which is associated with the latitude, seasons, atmospheric conditions, cloud coverage, degree of pollution and elevation above sea level.
Climatic conditions are characterized by either low or high atmospheric air temperature during winter and summer.
In the conventional greenhouses, a thermal screen may be installed at the interior level of the gutters for retaining heat, for reducing heat loss from the greenhouse and the associated thermal energy cost. However, it is difficult to maintain an air tight thermal screen for reducing heat loss from below the thermal screen to above the thermal screen. Furthermore, during snow storms, the thermal screen is switched-off to allow the heat below the thermal screen to reach the greenhouse ceiling in order to melt snow. The sudden exposure of the plants to the cold environment, which until then were in a suitably warm environment, can be detrimental to the health of the plants. Furthermore, this method of melting snow is not adequate.
In many conventional greenhouses, in cold locations, a double layer inflated film is used for covering the greenhouse for reducing heating cost. However, it is difficult to maintain optimal insulation between the two layers of inflated film which is critical for increased heating efficiency in order to minimize heat loss and thermal energy cost. Another problem associated with such greenhouse cover film is isolating leaking holes. In hot locations separate shading curtains may need to be used during the sunlight hours for reducing                a) Greenhouse air temperature        b) Unwanted heat gain, and        c) Greenhouse supplementary cooling cost.        
So far no cost effective tangible solutions exist to control the daily light photoperiod, which is a vital factor influencing the growth of a plant. Plants that are grown in conditions of varying daily light photoperiod patterns cannot settle into a regular life cycle and tend to grow poorly.
Another problem with conventional greenhouses is that of gutter connected multi span structured greenhouses. It is unviable to install gutters of adequate volume to handle very heavy downpours of rain in multi span structured greenhouses.
Heavy downpours of rain often overflows the roofs, along the sides and into the multi span structured greenhouses which can damage crops. There are further problems related to gutters such as blocking incoming sunlight into the greenhouse, condensation or mist on the interior surfaces of the gutters and snow accumulation in the gutters.
Another problem is snow accumulation on the exterior surfaces of the film covering the greenhouse roof and the four external sides of the greenhouse.
Yet another problem is dust and dirt accumulation on the exterior surfaces of the film covering the greenhouse roof and the four external sides of the greenhouse and in the gutters which also promotes growth of fungi and algae because the dust and dirt serve as soil and mineral elements.
Dust, dirt and the like cause a substantial reduction in the transmitted solar radiation into the greenhouse. Within a few weeks after installation, the dust and dirt can render the greenhouse cover film almost opaque rather than transparent, which substantially reduces light transmission into the greenhouse.
Another problem is that of fire hazards which may occur because of highly inflammable greenhouse cover film, curtains, insect nettings, screens and the like.
Yet another problem is food production in cold locations, wherein life exists but is very sunlight deficient.
Another problem in existing greenhouses is the very high capital cost, labor intensive requirements, use and maintenance of complicated equipment and component. Further to this, the following must be completed:                i) Mixing, activating and drip dosing a drip dosing a activated nutrient solution,        ii) Mixing and drip dosing a drip dosing a crop treatment solution,        iii) Warming i),ii) solutions to a defined temperature in order to maintain temperature of the roots of the crop at a defined temperature point,        iv) Mixing, activating and foliar dosing a foliar dosing activated nutrient solution,        v) Mixing and a foliar dosing a foliar dosing crop treatment solution,        vi) Warming iv), v) solutions to a defined temperature equal to the greenhouse air temperature,        vii) Greenhouse evaporative cooling in hot locations,        viii) Greenhouse humidification in hot locations,        ix) Dust and/or dirt wash off from exterior surfaces of the film covering the greenhouse roof and the four external sides, and        x) Firefighting.        
Also, as of now, for roll-on and roll-off curtains and screens very high cost large wall thickness C-class, large diameter galvanized iron pipes are used to keep the curtains and screens and the like weighted down to retain them tightly in place, and to prevent them from blowing in the wind. Such solutions are very expensive.
Basic needs to overcome the problems of conventional greenhouses for cost effective food production are:                1) Substantial reduction in capital and operating costs of a greenhouse,        2) Maintaining the greenhouse air relative humidity at a defined relative humidity point,        3) Maintaining the greenhouse air temperature at a defined temperature point,        4) Preventing greenhouse carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere, the carbon dioxide released by the plants during dark hours and/or the residual carbon dioxide available after the carbon dioxide enrichment events of sunlight hours, which otherwise contributes to global warming and incurs a cost in relation to carbon credits,        5) Maintaining in the greenhouse the carbon dioxide content at a defined carbon dioxide content point,        6) Providing an oxygen rich environment during dark hours to rejuvenate the health of a plant and to maximizes tolerance of the plants to disease and the like,        7) Reducing use and thus the cost of nutrients, pH adjustments agents and of crop protection agents,        8) Minimizing greenhouse supplementary heating and cooling cost in respective cold and hot locations,        9) Sourcing a cost effective material to serve as a thermal and shading for “an all in one solution for all seasons and in all locations”,        10) Increasing the deficient sunlight energy together with or without artificial lighting energy into the greenhouse to be sufficient for food production,        11) Stopping heavy downpour of rain overflowing on the roofs, along the sides and into the multi span structured greenhouses,        12) Reducing the dust and dirt accumulation on the exterior surfaces of the film covering the greenhouse roof and the four external sides of the greenhouse which will lead to an increase in the light transmission into the greenhouse,        13) Providing an efficient method to combat fire hazards which may occur because of highly inflammable greenhouse cover film, curtains, insect netting, screens and the like,        14) Facilitating melting of snow on the exterior surfaces of the film covering the greenhouse roof and the four external sides of the greenhouse,        15) Facilitating crop root zone aeration and maintaining the crop root zone temperature at a defined temperature point,        16) Facilitating low cost integrated pest management,        17) Obviating ventilation need for maintaining the carbon dioxide and oxygen balance during winters, rain and snow when conventional greenhouses are maintained closed,        18) Facilitating food production in a greenhouse in cold locations, wherein life exists but is very sunlight deficient and wherein food production even in a greenhouses has not so far been achieved, and        19) Reducing the cost of galvanized iron pipes that are used for weighing down roll-on and roll-off curtains and screens to retain them tightly in the place and to prevent them from blowing in the wind.        